Kitabı oku: «Rollo's Museum», sayfa 6

He began, however, in the course of six hours, to feel decidedly hungry; so he thought he would creep along in search of something to eat. He tried his proboscis upon one curiosity after another, in vain. The magnet, the sucker, pebbles, shells, books, every thing was hard, dry and tasteless; and at length, discouraged and in despair, he clambered up upon Jonas’s specimen of maple, poised his broad, black, leopard-like wings over his back, and hung his head in mute despair. He would have given all his newborn glories for one single supper from the leaf which he used to feed upon when he was a worm.

It was just about this time, that Rollo, Lucy, and Jonas happened to come together to the cabinet, to put in some new curiosity which they had found. As soon as Rollo opened the doors, he perceived the hole in the end of the chrysalis, which lay directly before him. He seized it hastily.

“There now,” said he, in a tone of sad disappointment, “somebody has been boring a hole in my hemlock-seed!”

He took up the empty shell, and looked at the hole.

“Why, Jonas,” said he, “how light it is!”

Jonas took the chrysalis, weighed it in his hand, looked into the hole, and then said, quickly,

“It is a chrysalis, I verily believe; and that is where the butterfly came out.”

“What!” said Rollo, in a tone of utter amazement.

“That hole is where a butterfly came out,” said Jonas, “I have no doubt;—and if we look about here a little, we shall find him.”

They immediately began to look about; and the butterfly, as if he understood their conversation, and perceived the necessity of a movement on his part, just at that instant, expanded his wings, and floated off through the air into the middle of the room, towards the bright sunshine which came in at the door. He alighted upon the edge of a barrel, which stood there. Rollo was after him in a moment, with his cap in the air. The butterfly, however, was too hungry to wait. He was again upon the wing. He soared away across the yard, towards the garden, and disappeared over the tops of the trees. Rollo and Lucy looked for him for some time among the plants and flowers, but in vain.

“Never mind,” said Jonas, when they returned. “The butterfly had rather be free; but he has left you the chrysalis shell, and that, notwithstanding the hole, is a greater curiosity now, than it was before.”

THE SEA-SHORE

Rollo’s father and mother were very much pleased with the children’s plan of collecting a cabinet. They often went out, at Rollo’s request, to look at the curiosities.

One evening, about sunset, when they were walking in the garden, Rollo proposed that, before they went into the house, they should go out and look at the museum. They accordingly walked along, Rollo and Mary taking hold of hands before, and their father and mother walking arm in arm after them. Nathan was behind, riding a stick for a horse, and blowing a trumpet which Rollo had made for him out of the stem of a pumpkin vine.

“I am a trooper,” said Nathan to himself, “blowing a bugle.” Then he would whip his horse, sound his trumpet, and gallop along.

When they reached the door of the barn which led into the place where their museum was kept, Rollo turned round and said sharply,

“Thanny, be quiet! Don’t make such a noise.”

“Speak pleasantly, Rollo,” said Mary.

“Well, Thanny,” said Rollo, taking hold of his arm, and gently turning him away from the door, “go and blow your bugle somewhere else, because we want to see our curiosities.”

Thanny made no reply; but, being spoken to pleasantly, he turned around and went galloping off, and seeing the cat upon the fence, he ran up and began trumpeting at her to frighten her away.

In the mean time, Rollo’s father and mother looked over the curiosities, as they had done many a time before. Rollo explained the wonders, and his parents looked and listened with great satisfaction, though they had been called upon to admire the same things for the same reasons, twenty times before.

“But, Rollo,” said his father, at length, “it appears to me that your cabinet has not increased much, lately.”

“Why, father, we can’t find any more curiosities. I wish we could go to some new place.”

“What new place can we go to?” said he.

“I don’t know,” said Rollo; “some place where there are some curiosities.”

“We might go to the sea-shore, and get some shells,” said Mary.

“So we could,” said her father; “that would give you a fine addition.”

“Well, father,” said Rollo, looking up very eagerly, “I wish you would let us go.”

“I will think of it,” said his father.

Rollo knew that when his father said this, he meant as he said, and that he would really think of it;—and consequently that he himself ought not to say any thing more about it. He accordingly soon began to talk to Mary about other things, and by and by they went into the house.

The next day, Rollo’s father told him that they had concluded to make a party to go to the sea-shore. There was a shore and a beach about twelve miles from where they lived, and he said that they were going the next day in the carryall. Rollo’s father and mother, with Mary and her cousin Lucy, were to ride in the carryall, and Rollo and Jonas in the wagon behind.

“We want cousin Lucy to go with us,” said Mr. Holiday, in explaining the plan, “and so there will not be quite room for us all in the carryall. Besides, we shall want Jonas’s help, probably, in the expedition, and then the wagon will be a good thing to bring back our treasures in.”

“O father,” said Rollo, “we shall not get more than a carryall full.”

“No, I suppose not,” said his father; “but the wagon will be better to bring stones, and sand, and shells. You must put baskets in behind, to pack them in.”

The next afternoon, all was in readiness at the appointed hour. The carryall was at the door, waiting to receive its portion of the party, and the wagon was fastened to a post behind. Jonas stood at the head of the carryall horse, to hold him still while the people should be getting in. Rollo was near the wagon horse.

“Shall I unfasten him, Jonas?”

“You can’t unfasten him,” said he.

“O yes, I can, if you will only let me try.”

Rollo approached the horse, and cautiously reached out his hands to unhook the chain from the ring at the horse’s mouth, standing a good way back, and leaning forward on tiptoe, as if he thought the horse would bite him.

“What are you afraid of, Rollo?” said Jonas.

“Nothing,” said Rollo; “only I can’t reach very well.”

“Stand up nearer.”

“But perhaps he might bite me.”

“Poh! he never bites,” said Jonas. “There is only one danger to guard against, in unfastening such a horse as that.”

“What danger?” said Rollo.

“Danger that he may step and tread on your foot.”

Rollo looked down at his feet, and began to consider this danger; but just then his father and mother came out, followed by the two girls, and took their seats in the carryall. Jonas then came to the wagon, and, after helping Rollo in, he got in himself, and away the whole party went, very happily.

After riding for some time, Rollo’s mother, upon looking back towards the wagon, saw that Rollo was making signs as if he wanted them to stop. She told Mr. Holiday, and he accordingly stopped his horse, and waited until the wagon came up. Rollo had a plan to propose.

“Father,” said he, “I wish you would let Jonas come into the carryall and drive you and mother, and let Mary and cousin Lucy come and ride with me.”

“But who will drive?” said his father.

“I’ll drive,” replied Rollo.

“O no,” said his mother, “he can’t drive; he will overturn the wagon.”

“Why, mother, I can drive,” said Rollo. “I have been driving some time.”

“I rather think there will be no danger,” said Mr. Holiday to his wife, turning towards her as she sat upon the back seat. “The road is pretty level and retired, and he will keep close along behind the carryall.”

Rollo’s mother looked rather doubtfully, and yet she could not help feeling a certain degree of pleasure at thinking that Rollo was old enough to drive alone. She accordingly consented, and the change was at once made. Rollo’s father and mother sat on the back seat of the carryall, and Jonas before, to drive them; while Rollo, Mary, and Lucy took possession of the wagon.

Rollo drove very well. He kept near the carryall, and was so attentive to his business as a driver, and so successful in avoiding stones and jolts, and in turning out for the various vehicles they met upon the road, that his father let him drive so all the rest of the way.

They gradually approached the sea-shore. The country grew wild and hilly, and great ledges of rocks were seen in the fields and by the road side. At length, upon the summit of a long ascent, the broad sea burst into view, stretching along the horizon before them, smooth and glassy, with here and there a small white sail almost motionless in the distance. Below them was a long, sandy beach. The surf was breaking against it. A swell of the sea, of the whole length of the beach, would rise and advance, growing higher and more distinct as it approached, and then it would break over upon the shore in one long line of foam, white and beautiful, and gracefully curved to adapt itself to the curvature of the shore. At the extremities of the beach, points and promontories of ragged rocks extended out into the water, white with the breakers which foamed and struggled around them. From the whole there arose a continued and solemn roar, like the sound of a great waterfall.

Mr. Holiday stopped his horse by the side of the road, and Rollo, when he reached the place, stopped also.

“Here we are,” said Rollo. “That’s the sea.”

“Where’s the beach?” said Lucy.

Mary was silent.

“Come,” said Rollo, “let’s drive on.”

“O no,” said Mary, “wait here a few minutes.”

“Jonas, what are you waiting for?” said Rollo.

“I wished him to stop here a few minutes,” said Rollo’s father, “to let us look at the prospect.”

Rollo said no more, though he could not understand what his father was waiting for. They all sat still, looking at the view, and saying very little; Rollo was impatient and restless. In a short time, however, Jonas drove on, and Rollo followed him. They went down into a sort of valley, where they lost sight of the water again, and then, after winding around for some time among the rocks and sand hills, they came at length to a high ridge of pebble stones, which ran along the shore; and surmounting this, they found the white beach spread out close before them, while a long line of wave was just curling over and dashing into foam upon the sand. They fastened the horses to some heavy pieces of timber, the remains of a wreck, which lay up high upon the sand.

“O, what a wide beach!” said Rollo. The truth is, that when he saw the beach from the hill, it looked like a mere line of sand, extending along the shore. But now he found it was a broad and smooth area, gently descending towards the water. It was firm, so that the children could run about upon it. Rollo went down pretty near to the water’s edge, and amused himself by watching the surf. Each wave would recede after it broke, and run off, leaving a broad piece of the beach dry; until, in a moment more, another wave would come curling on, and break over the retreating water of the former; and then it would rush up the sand, in a broad and rapid stream, all along the shore, almost to Rollo’s feet.

Rollo asked his father to let him take off his shoes and stockings; and he did so. Rollo put each stocking into its shoe, to keep them dry, and then laid them down upon the sand beyond the reach of the waves. Then he would watch the waves, and whenever the water retreated, he would follow it down until he met the new wave coming curling up at him, when he would turn and run, the wave after him, to the shore; and when the wave broke, it would throw the water all around his feet.

Lucy and Mary walked along the other shore at a greater distance, looking for shells. They found a great many. Rollo could hear their exclamations of delight at every new shell they found, and they were continually calling upon him to come and get some too; but he was too much occupied with the surf.

At length, Rollo’s attention was excited by hearing Lucy call out,

“O Mary, Mary! I have found a piece of sponge.”

Rollo turned around to look. He had just run up from the water, and was standing beyond the reach of the surf, though the water which each wave, as it broke, sent up upon the shore, played around his feet.

“How big is it?” said Rollo,

“About as big as my finger.”

“Ho!” said Rollo; “that is not very big.”

Just at this instant, a wave larger than usual burst just behind Rollo, and it sent up a torrent of water all around him, which rose almost up to his knees. Rollo was frightened. He started to run; but so much water confused and embarrassed him. He staggered.

“Stand still, Rollo,” said his father.

Rollo then stood still; but by this time the water was receding, and his eyes fell upon his two shoes, which had been taken up by the wave, and were now running rapidly down from the shore, each loaded with its stocking. Rollo ran to seize them, and had just time to get them before the next wave advanced and was ready to dash over them. He ran up upon the sand, and put his shoes several yards from the highest place that the water had come to.

“There,” said he, looking back at the waves, “now get my shoes if you can!” The waves said nothing, but went on breaking and then retreating, just as before.

Rollo then went to where Mary and Lucy were, and began to collect shells. They found quite a number of different kinds, all along the shore. Some were large and coarse,—broken and worn by the water. Some were so thin and delicate that he had to wrap them up carefully in a paper, and put them into his waistcoat pocket, in order to get them home safely. The children found several other curiosities besides shells. They collected pebbles, and specimens of sand, of different colors. Mary found an old iron spike, perhaps part of a vessel, with the sand and gravel concreted around it. It looked like stone growing upon iron. Rollo also found a small piece of wood, battered and worn by the long-continued action of the waves, and he thought it was very curious indeed. In fine, the children filled their baskets with wonders, and, after about three quarters of an hour, they set out on their return home. When Rollo went to get his shoes, he found the water almost up to them. If he had staid away a little longer, they would have been washed away again. The truth was, the tide was rising.

THE CLIFFS

As the party slowly rode away from the beach, Rollo’s mother asked if it was too late to go to the cliffs. There was a splendid prospect from the cliffs. They were rocky precipices overhanging the sea, at the extremity of a point of land, about a mile from the beach where they had been. The two girls wanted to go very much; but Rollo did not care so much about it. He was in haste to get home and arrange his curiosities.

His father, however, after looking at his watch, said that he thought there would be time to go. So he turned his horse’s head in the right direction, and they went to the cliffs.

The precipices were very high, and the swell of the sea dashed and roared against them at their foot; and yet the water looked very smooth at a little distance from the land. Rollo wondered why there should be waves along the beach and against the rocks, when there were none out in the open sea.

“I should think, father,” said he, “that it would be calmer near the shore, and more windy out upon the water.”

“It is,” said his father.

“Then, why are not the waves bigger?”

“They are full as big.”

“Why, father,” said Rollo, “there are no waves at all out from the land.”

“You can’t see them very well,” said his father, “because we look down upon them. When we are upon a mountain, the small hills below almost disappear. Besides, the waves out in the open sea, in such a still time as this, are in the form of broad swells; but these swells are broken when they roll against the shore, and so this makes the surf.”

“I mean to look over and see,” said Rollo, and he walked cautiously along towards the precipice.

“O Rollo,” exclaimed Mary, “don’t go so near!”

“Why, there is no danger,” said Rollo.

“Rollo! Rollo!” exclaimed Mary again, as Rollo went nearer and nearer.

His father had turned away, just as he had finished what he said above, and so had not observed what Rollo was doing. In fact, he did not go near enough to the brink to be in any danger, though Mary was afraid to have him so near.

His mother, hearing Mary’s call, turned to see what was the matter, and she, too, felt afraid at seeing Rollo so near. She called him to come away; but Rollo told her that he was not near enough to fall.

“But I had rather that you would come away,” said his mother; and she looked very anxious and uneasy, and began to hurry along towards him.

“You see that large island off to the right,” said Rollo’s father, directing her attention in the right quarter.

“Yes, I see it—Rollo!”

“Well, that is George’s Island. There is a rock lying just about south of it.”

“Yes,” said Rollo’s mother, “I believe I see it,” beckoning at the same time to Rollo.

Her mind was evidently occupied with watching Rollo. She looked first at the rock and island, where Mr. Holiday was pointing, and then back at Rollo, until at length Mr. Holiday, perceiving that her mind was disturbed by Rollo’s motions, said to him,

“Rollo, keep outside of us.”

“Outside, father!” said Rollo; “how do you mean?”

“Why, farther back from the brink than we are.”

So Rollo walked reluctantly back until he was at about the same distance from the brink with his father, and then began to take up some little stones, and throw them over. His father and mother went on talking, though Rollo’s stones disturbed them a little. At length, Rollo came and stood near his father to hear what he was saying about a large ship which was just coming into view behind the island.

As he stood there, he kept pressing forward to get as near to the brink as he could, without actually going before his father and mother. She instinctively put out her hand to hold him back, and was evidently so uneasy, that Mr. Holiday looked to see what was the matter. Rollo had pressed forward so as to be a very little in advance of his father, though it was only very little indeed.

“Rollo,” said his father, “go and sit in the carryall until we come.”

Rollo looked up surprised, and was just going to ask what for. But he perceived at once that he was in advance of his parents, and that he had consequently disobeyed his father’s orders. He went away rather sullenly.

“I was not more than an inch in advance of where they were,” said he to himself; “and, besides, it was far enough from the brink. I don’t see why I need be sent away.”

However, he knew that he must obey, and he went and took his seat in the carryall. It was turned away from the sea, and he had nothing before him but the inland prospect.

“What dismal-looking rocks and hills!” said he to himself. They had appeared wild and picturesque when he first came in view of them, but now they had a very gloomy expression. He who is dissatisfied with himself, is generally dissatisfied with all around him.

Rollo waited until he was tired, and then he had to wait some time longer. At length his father and mother appeared, and Rollo jumped out, and asked his father if he might ride in the wagon, and drive the girls again.

“No,” replied his father, “I have made another arrangement. Jonas,” he continued, “you may get into the wagon, and drive on alone.”

Rollo’s father then helped Mrs. Holiday and Mary into the back seat, while he put Lucy and Rollo on before, and he took a seat between them. When they had rode on a little way, he said,

“I was very sorry to have to send you away, Rollo.”

“Why, father, I was not more than an inch before you.”

“That’s true,” said his father.

“And I don’t think I was in any danger.”

“I don’t think you were myself,” said his father.

“Then, why did you send me back?”

“For two reasons. First, you disobeyed me.”

“But I don’t think I came before you more than an inch.”

“Nor I,” said his father; “very likely it was not more than half an inch.”

“And was that enough to do any harm?”

“It was enough to constitute disobedience. I told you to keep back, outside of us, and by coming up even as near as we were, you showed a disposition not to obey.”

“But I forgot,” said Rollo. “I did not observe that I was so near.”

“But when I give you a direction like that, it is your duty to observe.”

Rollo was silent. After a short pause, he added,

“Well, father, you said that there were two reasons why you sent me away.”

“Yes, the other was that you were spoiling all the pleasure of the party. You kept Mary and mother continually uneasy and anxious.”

“But I don’t think I went into any danger.”

“Perhaps not; that is not what I charge you with. I did not send you away for going into danger, but for making other persons anxious and uneasy.”

“But, father, if there was not any danger, why need they be uneasy?”

“Do you suppose that persons are never made uneasy and anxious, except by actual danger?”

“Why—I don’t know, sir.”

“If you observe persons carefully, you will see that they are.”

“Then they must be unreasonable,” said Rollo.

“Not altogether,” said his father. “If you were lying down upon the ground, and I were to come up to you with an axe, and make believe cut your head off, it would make you very uneasy, though there would be really no danger.”

“But this is very different,” said Rollo. “That would have been as if I had made believe push mother off.”

“That would have been more like it, I confess. But I only meant to show you that it does not always require real danger, to make any one uneasy and anxious. When we see persons in situations which strongly suggest the idea of danger to our minds, it makes us uneasy, though we may know that there is no actual danger in the case. Thus it is painful to most persons to see a carpenter upon a very lofty spire, or to go very near a precipice, or see any body else go, even when there is a strong railing; and so in all other cases. Therefore, our rule ought always to be, when we are in company with others, not only not to go into actual danger, but not to go so near as strongly to bring up the idea to their minds, and thus distress them.”

“I never thought of that before,” said Rollo.

“No, I presume not. And I had not time to explain it to you when we were upon the cliffs, and so I simply directed you to keep back of us. That would have prevented all trouble, if you had only obeyed.”

Rollo was silent and thoughtful. He was sorry that he had disobeyed.

“However,” continued his father, “I am very glad I have had this opportunity to explain this subject to you. Now, I want you to remember, after this, that the best way, in all such cases, is to consider, not what the actual danger is, but what the feelings and fears of those who are with you may be. It is not your own safety, but the comfort of others, that you have to look out for.”

“Yes, sir,” said Rollo, “I will.”

“Once there were two young men,” continued his father, “taking a ride in chaises. Each had his sister with him. They came to an old bridge that was somewhat decayed, and it led across a very deep ravine which looked very frightful, though in reality the bridge was perfectly strong and safe. Now, when the first chaise came near, the girl who was in it cried out,

“‘O brother, what a bridge! O, I must get out and walk over it. I don’t dare to ride over such a bridge.’

“‘Poh, nonsense!’ said Henry. Her brother’s name was Henry. ‘The bridge is strong enough for a four-ox team. I have been over it a dozen times.’ So he drove on. His sister looked very much terrified when they came upon the bridge, but they went over safely.

“‘There,’ said Henry, when they had got over, ‘I told you it was safe.’

“When the other chaise came down, the young lady said the same thing to her brother, whose name was Charles. She said she was afraid to ride over.

“‘Very well,’ said Charles. ‘The bridge is safe enough, but I think, perhaps, it may be pleasanter for you to walk over. It will rest you to walk a little, and besides, you can stop to look at the pleasant prospect, up and down the river, from the middle of the bridge.’

“So his sister got out, and he drove the chaise over carefully, while she walked behind. Now, which do you think took the best course, Charles or Henry?”

“I—don’t know,” said Rollo.

“The way to determine,” said his father, “is to apply the Savior’s rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’”

“Well, I think,” said Rollo, “that I should rather get out and walk.”

“I am sure I should,” said Lucy.

The whole party, after this, got safely home, though it was too late, that night, to arrange their curiosities. They, however, looked them all over the next day, and they made a very large and valuable addition to their cabinet. The specimens of sand of different colors they arranged in little, square, pasteboard boxes, which Mary made, covering them neatly with blue paper upon the outside, and with white paper within.